He Left Me in the Flames

Nathan Reed’s first love was about to burn to death. A firefighter behind him shouted the news. I was trapped in the same inferno, just a few steps away from him. Nathan glanced at me, then turned and left. Black smoke blurred my vision. The heat seared my arms. Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist. A moment later, a respirator slipped over my head. His best friend swept me into his arms. “Don’t be scared. I’m getting you out of here.” As Nathan turned away, he patted his best friend’s shoulder, his voice urgent. “Take care of everyone in here. I need to help next door.” The man caught his arm. “Command assigns the rescues. There’s already a team over there. What happens here if you abandon your post?” “She can still move. You can handle it.” The fire had been burning for a full half hour. My husband, who always put the greater good first and had received countless commendations, had finally lost his composure. Even with me lying right in front of him, even though protocol required him to get me out first. My husband still hesitated. Worry covered his face. But that worry was for his first love, not me. Ethan Cole refused to release his wrist. “You’re disobeying orders!” “If you leave now and the fire spreads, I can’t handle a collapse on my own.” Listening to them, I felt my heart stop for a few seconds. Neither man would give in. I dug my nails into my palms and shouted, “Let him go! If we don’t get out now, all three of us will die!” Ethan frowned at me, confusion filling his eyes. “Let him do what he wants,” I said flatly. The truth was, the moment I learned Sienna Hayes had moved into our building after returning from overseas, I’d known my marriage to Nathan was almost over. If he abandoned the woman he loved to save me, he would probably regret it for the rest of his life. “I know you can get her out safely.” “I won’t feel right until I check on Sienna myself.” The flames kept spreading. Smoke choked me until tears streamed down my face. After five years of marriage, at a moment when my life hung in the balance, my own husband was leaving to save another woman. What a joke. Just as I was about to pass out, someone pulled a respirator over my head. Then a cool, steady voice sounded above me. “Don’t be scared. I’m getting you out of here.” When I woke up, all I could see was a white ceiling and painfully bright fluorescent lights. The sharp smell of disinfectant told me I was probably in a hospital. I turned my head slightly and saw Ethan, still in his firefighter’s uniform. When he noticed I was awake, he called a doctor. Once the examination confirmed I was all right, he said, “Nathan couldn’t get away, so he asked me to check on you. If you don’t need anything else, I’ll head out.” I nodded without saying a word. I had barely pushed myself upright against the edge of the bed when Nathan called. I swiped to answer, then froze. A woman’s voice came through, bright and sweet. She didn’t sound like someone who had just escaped death. “Claire, I’m so sorry. I was grocery shopping when the fire started. I have no idea who said I was trapped. Nathan left you and came running over for nothing. I feel terrible.” “I already gave him a good scolding for you. Please don’t take it personally.”I tightened my grip on the phone and said nothing. After a few minutes of silence, Sienna spoke again, pretending to be annoyed. “Honestly, Nathan, even when you’re saving people, you still need to follow your department’s orders. Besides, how could I possibly matter more than your wife?” “You can’t do this again. Things are different now. Claire’s the one you’re supposed to protect.” “Take all this food over and apologize. I made everything just the way she likes it—nice and spicy. She must be starving now that she’s awake.” The way I liked it? I could barely handle mild chili. Sometimes I even rinsed the sauce off my food. How could I eat any of that? “Her stomach can’t handle this.” “We already bought the ingredients. It would be a waste not to eat it. I made it all for you.” A man’s quiet voice came through the phone. Nathan must have been standing beside her. “Go ahead and eat before it gets cold. If she can answer the phone, she’s fine. Don’t worry about her.” Nathan’s voice was ice-cold. Every word felt like a blade carving into my heart. It hurt so much I could barely breathe. I didn’t want to listen to them play happy couple in front of me, so I hung up. Even if I died, it probably wouldn’t matter much to Nathan. After being unconscious for hours, I really was hungry. I took out my phone to order delivery, but Ethan came back before I could. He was carrying chicken-and-rice soup and a few small sides. “Nathan said you couldn’t eat spicy food. He asked me to get these.” I stared at him. My eyes stung, and tears spilled down my cheeks. Ethan didn’t linger. He handed me some tissues and waited until I calmed down before leaving. Nathan never visited during the days I spent in the hospital. Only when I was being discharged did he remember to ask: Do you need me to pick you up? I didn’t reply. The fact that he had to ask said enough. He didn’t want to come. To my surprise, after I finished the paperwork, I saw his car outside. Nathan leaned against it and waved at me. I walked straight over without making a fuss. But when I opened the passenger door, I found Sienna sitting there as if she owned the place. Even after seeing me, she made no move to get out. She was wearing my husband’s jacket. “Sorry, Claire. I just sat here because it was easier. If you want the front seat, I can move to the back.” “No need. I’ll sit in the back.” The man wasn’t mine anymore. What was the point of fighting over a seat? Sienna gave Nathan a wounded look, as if I’d somehow bullied her. Nathan said nothing when I climbed into the back. “Where are we going?” “Claire, the apartment’s ruined. Nathan and I have been looking for a new place these past few days. We spent ages getting it ready. We were just waiting for you.” “A new place?” I frowned. Noticing the change in my tone, Nathan quickly explained, “It’s not what you think. It’s just a temporary rental. Two bedrooms and a living room. Plenty of space for us.” Only after we arrived did I understand what he meant by two bedrooms. All three of us would be living there. While I was in the hospital, he hadn’t been too busy to visit. He’d been setting up a home with Sienna. At that moment, I felt like the outsider. “She’s living with us, too?”Whenever Sienna spent time with Nathan before, I never asked questions. If I said so much as a word, he accused me of being paranoid. But this time, I didn’t want to swallow it. Anyone with eyes could see what Sienna wanted. Yet he was openly bringing her into our home. Wasn’t he just creating an opportunity for himself? “She’s an adult. She’s capable of supporting herself.” The moment I finished speaking, Sienna’s eyes turned red. She hooked her little finger around Nathan’s sleeve. “Is Claire upset because I’m here?” “I’m sorry. I didn’t know this would happen. Please don’t fight over me.” “I’ll go find somewhere else right now.” She made a show of leaving, but her feet never moved. Finally, Nathan spoke. “Sienna, go to your room. I’ll talk to Claire.” She nodded, her eyes still red. But just before she shut her bedroom door, I caught the smug look she shot me. There wasn’t a trace of hurt in it. Only triumph. I had never wanted to compete for a man using cheap little tricks like hers. Especially a man whose heart wasn’t with me. No matter how I fought, I would lose. I poured myself a glass of water, took a sip, and looked at Nathan. I had loved him for so many years. Yet at that moment, I could feel all that love beginning to fade. I couldn’t find a reason to keep holding on. “Nathan, let’s get a divorce.” I tightened my grip on the glass and forced the words out. He stared at me in disbelief, his brows drawing together. “Because I didn’t rescue you?” “It was an emergency. I’d already reached the area where you were trapped. With my experience, I could tell there weren’t any flammable materials or anything likely to explode. Ethan was perfectly capable of getting you out.” “Claire, don’t make a scene over something this small.” His explanation almost made me laugh. I couldn’t believe he could deliver an excuse like that with a straight face. “I’m making a scene? Fine, let’s set the fire aside. Why did you move Sienna into our home?” “She has no family here. I’m the only person she knows. She isn’t staying forever. It’s just temporary.” “If you don’t like having her here, I can—” Before he could finish, glass shattered inside the bedroom. Then Sienna screamed. Just like that, our conversation was interrupted. I glanced at Nathan. “You should check on her. We can finish this once you’ve dealt with the woman in there.” He ignored me. Grabbing my wrist, he dragged me into the other bedroom without asking whether I wanted to go. The door slammed behind us. “Aren’t you going to check on Sienna?” Nathan punched the door and spoke through clenched teeth. “Claire, I’m your husband. Do you really think it’s appropriate to push me into another woman’s bedroom this late at night?” I lowered my head and said nothing. “I’ve spent the last few days finding an apartment and dealing with things at the station and at home. I didn’t visit because I was busy. But I asked Ethan to look after you. I care about you, Claire.” “I remember everything I promised you.” Nathan’s voice was low and rough. His warm breath brushed my ear, making my skin tingle. For a moment, I lost focus. When we got married, Nathan had promised he would fulfill his responsibilities as a husband. He would never let me down. But there was no limit to how deeply someone could disappoint you. He had already abandoned me for Sienna more than once. By now, I wasn’t even disappointed. I was numb. Seeing me go quiet, Nathan carried me to the bed and started kissing me. This was how he always soothed me when I was angry. He would wear down my defenses until I didn’t even have the energy to stay mad, until all I could do was cry and beg him to stop. “Claire, our marriage matters to me.” “I won’t let anyone ruin it. So stop being upset, okay?”